Where Joanna Stands
Community-rooted positions built from two decades of organizing in Vermont.
Education
Student-Centric Funding
There is a plan in motion to pull $63 million out of our Chittenden County schools, and I am standing firmly against it. Education policy should be student-centric and family-centric, not driven by arbitrary budget cuts.
- There are plenty of ways to fill the Education Fund and reduce the property tax pressure on Vermonters — like modernizing our revenue sources — that have simply not been taken seriously by leadership.
- Protecting the quality of our local schools while ensuring property taxes don't force long-term residents out of Vermont.
Healthcare
Breaking the Monopoly
Vermont families are being squeezed by a system that prioritizes corporate overhead over patient care.
- I strongly support reducing the monopolistic power large institutions hold over independent providers. We must directly incentivize and support primary care — the foundation of a healthy community.
- I am proud to have the support of the Green Mountain Care Board chair, the state's most effective leader on controlling healthcare pricing. Together, we will prioritize patients over profits.
Housing
Regional Alignment & Trusted Relationships
I've been organizing in this county for years, and I know that the housing crisis cannot be solved in a vacuum.
- Because Vermont lacks a strong county government, we struggle with regional alignment. I have built trusted relationships with our House representatives, municipal leaders, and the Senate caucus. They know me, and they trust me.
- I will leverage these connections to build the trust needed to expedite regional progress — increasing density in town centers while strictly protecting our agricultural and forest lands.
Small Business
Leveling the Playing Field
Currently, one-third of our state budget and half of our nonprofits are federally funded. With that money now at risk, it is essential that we shore up Vermont's future by actively supporting our local economy.
- We need legislative action to help Vermont businesses level the playing field against the corporate oligarchy. This means opposing the expansion of multinational giants (like Amazon) that drain wealth from our towns.
- Making Vermont more self-reliant by prioritizing local ownership and keeping our dollars working for us right here in the state.